Cupra Leon 300

How does the latest hot Leon improve upon its predecessors?

ICAN STILL VIVIDLY REMEMBER THE WAY the Cupra steadily reeled-in and then edged ahead of the Cayenne S as the two cars accelerated flat-out down Bruntingthorpe’s runway. Aerodynamics and mass no doubt played their part in the Porsche’s downfall, but it still had a 380bhp V8 and had got off the line quicker. Yet it was the Leon that broke the timing beams first – at exactly 150mph. While three-up.

That was back in 2007, when such performance from a family five-door seemed like a big deal. (The triumphant whooping inside the Cupra confirmed that.) That Mk2 SEAT Leon Cupra – my long-termer at the time – certainly hinted at the seriousness that was to come from the hot hatch class, with its particularly bucket-y front seats, whopping 345mm front brake discs, grippy Pirelli P Zero Rosso tyres, and a ride so uncommonly firm that every single passenger commented on it. Or complained about it. And then there was its 237bhp, which was 30bhp up on its in-group rival, the Mk5 Golf GTI, making it one of the most potent hatches of its day.

Ultimately, the consensus was that the Golf was the better, more polished car, but the Cupra’s attitude gave it a real sense of purpose and a unique identity. I completely understood its appeal.

Seven years after that, I was the custodian of a Mk3 SEAT Leon Cupra 280. Power had leapt up to 276bhp, while the Mk7 GTI made do with 217227bhp, and the quality of the interior had improved considerably too, the nasty fabrics, cheap-looking plastics and woeful stereo of the Mk2 all, thankfully, left behind. A DSG ’box was now an option, a quartet of Drive Profile modes made the uncomfortable ride optional too, and the arrival of the incredibly effective VAQ active locking differential made that class-leading power output entirely deployable. It all combined to make the 280 one of my favourite VW Group hatches up to that point.

Fast forward another seven years and we have today’s Cupra Leon 300. Inevitably, there’s more power again – 296bhp – and the cabin quality now rivals the Golf’s. But thereafter the improvements are harder to spot, unless you like your cars with mandatory DSG and more safety and convenience tech than you can shake a USB stick at.

It’s the same story behind the wheel, too, the 300 feeling broadly similar to how I remember the 280 being. It’s a notch quicker across the ground, of course, but otherwise the experience is a bit ‘more of the same’. You could argue that if it ain’t broke, why fix it? But VW’S Golf, in GTI Clubsport form, has now caught up with the Leon in the power stakes, while rivals from the likes of Hyundai, Honda and Renault have become stronger than ever.

Which leaves me wondering if we’ve reached peak VW Group hot hatch – at least in the ICE age – and the Cupra got closer to the finishing line first, leaving it with less distance to travel for this latest iteration. Or is there, perchance, more to come? A successor to the Ring-record-setting Sub8 special maybe? The name’s not quite as snappy, but I’ve got my fingers crossed for a Sub7:40…

In the meantime, if you want to find out how quick the Leon 300 is around a circuit, head over to our Youtube channel, where you can watch Steve Sutcliffe set a hot lap at the Bedford Autodrome’s West Circuit in our long-termer.

Date acquired July 2021 Total mileage 2945 Mileage this month 716 Costs this month £0 mpg this month 28.5

‘Have we reached peak VW Group hot hatch, and the Cupra got there first?’